Cigarette filter

ABSTRACT

A combination tar-and-nicotine removal device which accelerates tobacco smoke and impinges same against a barrier in which each side of the accelerating device is enclosed by built-in plugs.

United States Patent inventor A. K. Moukaddem Abu-Samra SL, LuitiRabbara Building, Tripoli, Lebanon Appl. No. 833,889

Filed June 9, 1969 Patented Sept. 14, 1971 CIGARETTE FILTER 9 Claims, 4Drawing Figs.

U.S. C1 131/l0.5, 131/10.7,131/201, 131/210 Int. Cl ..A24d 01/04,A24fO1/08,A24f01/16 Field of Search 13 l/10.5,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,250,280 5/1966 Hu 131/10.5X 3,313,308 4/1967 Grasso 131/210 X 3,318,312 5/1967 Curtis, lr.13l/l0.7 X 3,318,316 5/1967 Banderasetal. l3l/10.5X 3,343,547 9/1967Gi1l,Jr 131/261 B 3,351,072 11/1967 Baum etaL. 131/10.5X 3,468,3169/1969 Baumetal 131/210X Primary Examiner-Samuel Koren AssistantExaminer-J. F. Pitrelli Attorney-John J. Byrne ABSTRACT: A combinationtar-and-nicotine removal device which accelerates tobacco smoke andimpinges same against a barrier in which each side of the acceleratingdevice is enclosed by built-in plugs.

IN VENTOR ABDUL -KADEI? MOUKADDE M PATENTED SEP] 4 Ian B Wg- W ATTORNEYCIGARETTE FILTER it is a principal objective of this invention toprovide a device which efficiently separates harmful tars and nicotinesfrom tobacco smoke.

Another objective of this invention is to provide a device which removesthe deleterious material from the tobacco smoke without appreciablyaffecting the natural aromatic and taste qualities thereof.

Another objective of this invention provides a device for removing tarand other deleterious materials from cigarette smoke which issufiiciently inexpensive to be used with each individual cigarette anddiscarded therewith.

A further objective of this invention is to provide the smoke path withan elongated passageway in which the smoke is speeded to high velocitiesand thereafter impinged upon a solid barrier. As the smoke departs fromthe barrier, it is caused to strike a second barrier prior to passingthrough a final filter prior to reaching the mouth of the smoker. Thelighter weight aromatic smoke particles which comprise that part of thesmoke leading to enjoyment, will traverse the above-mentioned path whileleaving the deleterious material behind.

Another important objective of this invention is to provide such afiltering apparatus which can be made of low-cost plastic and which doesnot materially increase the smokers draw.

A still further objective of this invention is to provide a filter ofthe type described which does not increase the length of the filterbeyond acceptable dimensions.

A still further objective of this invention is to provide a filteringarrangement wherein an accelerating passageway is centrally locatedwhich will thereby produce an even burning of the cigarette,

A still further objective of this invention is to provide a nicotineremoval cotton filter in combination with a plastic tar-removalapparatus.

Another important objective of this invention is to provide a filterapparatus of plastic and cotton which provides a comfortable assembly tothe mouth of the smoker and at the same time is sufficiently inexpensivefor production by large-scale molding processes.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent tothose skilled in the art by reference to the following detaileddescription when viewed in light of the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the device of thisinvention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views of important elements thereof; and

FIG. 4 is a cross section of another embodiment.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like elements are indicated bylike numerals, the numeral indicates generally the assembly of thisinvention. The assembly includes a sleeve 12 which is adapted to receivethe one end of a cigarette C. Cigarette C is circumscribed with astandard paper covering 14.

Disposed immediately adjacent the rearward end of cigarette C is acotton plug or filtering element 16. The element 16 aids in removingnicotine as the smoke passes therethrough. Another principal function ofthe plug 16 is to prevent bits of tobacco and other foreign matter fromreaching the tar-removal device 18. in the described embodiment, the tarremoval device 18 is an impervious plastic member formed with a chamber20 at one end thereof which, within an annular rim 19, is shaped by aconical surface 11. The surface 22 tapers to a central passageway 24.The first end 26 of the passageway is in communication with the chamber21 An impervious plastic member 28 is disposed at the opposite end ofthe passageway 24. The member 28 includes a semicircular spacer portion29 which can be secured to the element 18 by a screw or the like 30. Abarrier portion 32 of the member 28 is disposed in spaced axialrelationship to the passageway 24. As seen best in FIG. 2, the barrierportion 32 forms a crosscut chamber 36 with the end portion of theelement 18. Note that the diameter of the barrier portion 32 is slightlyless than the diameter portion of the member 18 and thus there is formedan arcuate passageway 40 with the interior surface of the sleeve 12.

A second barrier 42 is also disposed within the sleeve 12. The secondbarrieris also of impervious plastic material and is located oppositethe arcuate chamber 40. Coplanar with the second barrier 42 is a secondcotton plug 44 which is dampened with a water-alcohol solution. The plug44 can be adhered to barrier 42 such as by glue or the like and theentire plug-barrier assembly is then adhered to the interior of thesleeve 12. Note that the inner surface of the barrier 42 is curved at 48and the outer surface 50 thereof is in a plane transverse to thelongitudinal axis of the cigarette. Enclosing the outer end of thesleeve 12 is a conventional filtering element 52 which can be ofcellulose, cotton or paper. The filters 44 and 52 will absorb tars andnicotine which have not been cleansed from the smoke by the previouslydescribed construction.

The operation of the invention can best be understood by following thepath of the smoke as the smoker draws on the outer end 56 of the sleeve12. The smoke is first drawn through the filter 16 and collects in thechamber 20. The smoke is then guided to passageway 24 by the conicalsurface 22 where it gathers great speed because of the reduced diameterof passageway 24. It is suspected that velocities of 300 to 350 km./hr.are reached, depending on the length and width of passageway 24, at thetime the smoke stream strikes the barrier 32 and enters the chamber 36.impingement at such high speeds causes the lighter and more desirableelements of the smoke to pass through the arcuate passageway 40 whileleaving much of the tar entrained in the crosscut chamber 36. The smokewhich leaves the chamber 36 passes the arcuate passageway 40 at areduced velocity. However, the smoke strikes the circular surface 48prior to finding its way through filters 44 and 52.

As seen in FIG. 1, the elements 28 and 18 are separate pieces securedtogether by a screw 30, If desired, however, these elements can beformed as a one-piece unit as seen in FIG. 4. The embodiment of FIG. 4is hollow in cross section for purposes of maintaining a lightweightstructure and for conserving materials, though it is to be understoodthat it could be formed of a solid cross section if desired.

It can be seen that there has been described an effective filter whichcombines a nicotine removal and tar removal apparatus into a veryefficient, compact and inexpensive package.

I claim:

1. A tip device for use with a cigarette comprising a sleeve having afirst portion at an inner end thereof receiving one end of saidcigarette,

a plug of porous absorbent material located against said one end,

a cylindrical member having a chambered end disposed adjacent said plugand having a centrally disposed passageway having a first end leading tosaid chamber and having a second end,

a first barrier spaced from said second end and located along the axisof said passageway, said first barrier ex tending from said sleeve andhaving a free edge portion spaced from said sleeve on the opposite sidethereof,

a second plug of porous absorbent material spaced from said barrier andforming a second chamber therewith,

a second barrier in said second chamber and transversely coplanar withsaid second plug and spaced from said first barrier, said second barrierbeing affixed to said opposite side of said sleeve and having a freeedge portion extending into said second chamber and located at adistance from said opposite side of said sleeve greater than the spacebetween said free edge portion of said first barrier and said oppositeside ofsaid sleeve,

and a'filter enclosed in the outer end of said sleeve and located nextto said second plug,

said first barrier spacing providing means communicating said passagewayto said second chamber whereby a gas drawn from said inner end towardsaid outer end is accelerated when passing through said passageway andimpinged against said barrier prior to reaching said outer end.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said means is an arcuate passagewaybetween said sleeve and first barrier and axially nonaligned with saidpassageway.

3. The device of claim 1 where said cylindrical member is of a plasticmaterial.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said cylindrical member and said firstbarrier are integral with one another forming a single element.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said element is of a plastic material.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said element is hollow.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein said second barrier is of a plasticmaterial.

8. A smoke-treating device comprising a sleeve, a cylindrical elementwithin said sleeve and having a chamber at one end thereof having asurface leading to the first end of an axially disposed passagewaythrough said cylindrical element and of a diameter substantially lessthan that of said element,

a first barrier overlapping the other end of said passageway andextending radially inwardly from said sleeve, said first barrier havinga portion spaced from said sleeve to form a second axial passagewaytransversely offset from said first passageway means supporting saidfirst barrier in spaced relationship to said other end of saidpassageway and a second barrier axially spaced from said first barrierand extending radially inwardly from said sleeve in a direction oppositethat of said first barrier a distance sufficient to overlap said secondpassageway, said second barrier having a portion spaced from said sleeveto form a third axial passageway offset from said second passageway,said third passageway being filled by a porous absorbent disklike plugtransversely coplanar with said second barrier.

9. The invention of claim 8 wherein filter means are disposed at eitherend of said element

1. A tip device for use with a cigarette comprising a sleeve having afirst portion at an inner end thereof receiving one end of saidcigarette, a plug of porous absorbent material located against said oneend, a cylindrical member having a chambered end disposed adjacent saidplug and having a centrally disposed passageway having a first endleading to said chamber and having a second end, a first barrier spacedfrom said second end and located along the axis of said passageway, saidfirst barrier extending from said sleeve and havinG a free edge portionspaced from said sleeve on the opposite side thereof, a second plug ofporous absorbent material spaced from said barrier and forming a secondchamber therewith, a second barrier in said second chamber andtransversely coplanar with said second plug and spaced from said firstbarrier, said second barrier being affixed to said opposite side of saidsleeve and having a free edge portion extending into said second chamberand located at a distance from said opposite side of said sleeve greaterthan the space between said free edge portion of said first barrier andsaid opposite side of said sleeve, and a filter enclosed in the outerend of said sleeve and located next to said second plug, said firstbarrier spacing providing means communicating said passageway to saidsecond chamber whereby a gas drawn from said inner end toward said outerend is accelerated when passing through said passageway and impingedagainst said barrier prior to reaching said outer end.
 2. The device ofclaim 1 wherein said means is an arcuate passageway between said sleeveand first barrier and axially nonaligned with said passageway.
 3. Thedevice of claim 1 where said cylindrical member is of a plasticmaterial.
 4. The device of claim 3 wherein said cylindrical member andsaid first barrier are integral with one another forming a singleelement.
 5. The device of claim 4 wherein said element is of a plasticmaterial.
 6. The device of claim 5 wherein said element is hollow. 7.The device of claim 1 wherein said second barrier is of a plasticmaterial.
 8. A smoke-treating device comprising a sleeve, a cylindricalelement within said sleeve and having a chamber at one end thereofhaving a surface leading to the first end of an axially disposedpassageway through said cylindrical element and of a diametersubstantially less than that of said element, a first barrieroverlapping the other end of said passageway and extending radiallyinwardly from said sleeve, said first barrier having a portion spacedfrom said sleeve to form a second axial passageway transversely offsetfrom said first passageway means supporting said first barrier in spacedaxial relationship to said other end of said passageway and a secondbarrier axially spaced from said first barrier and extending radiallyinwardly from said sleeve in a direction opposite that of said firstbarrier a distance sufficient to overlap said second passageway, saidsecond barrier having a portion spaced from said sleeve to form a thirdaxial passageway offset from said second passageway, said thirdpassageway being filled by a porous absorbent disklike plug transverselycoplanar with said second barrier.
 9. The invention of claim 8 whereinfilter means are disposed at either end of said element.